This invention relates generally to new and improved martial arts striking apparatus, and more particularly to new and improved karate kickboard apparatus.
Many different martial arts striking apparatus or devices are known to the prior art, for example punching bag simulators, hitting devices per se, karate board holding and storage devices, and ornamental designs for impact measuring unit for karate training.
Such prior art martial arts striking apparatus may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,879 issued Dec. 23, 1975 to Leo E. Long et al. for a punching bag simulator including a spring biased arm pivotally connected to a base on one end and provided on the other end with a deformable pad for striking by the fists, a pair of resilient bumpers are placed between the arm and base and wherein one bumper absorbs kinetic energy of the pivot arm when the arm is moved towards the base and wherein the other bumper absorbs kinetic energy of the pivot arm when the pivot arm is moved away from the base as a result of its spring bias mounting; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,084,811 issued Apr. 18, 1978 to Han Cha Kyo for a hitting device for martial arts including a bellows which may be mounted on a vertical wall and which bellows contracts when struck to absorb the impact of the hitting force and which bellows is provided with closable vents to allow for variation of the compressibility of the bellow thereby varying the resistance to the hitting force by the hitting device; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,336 issued Nov. 6, 1979 to Robert W. Perry for striking equipment for developing martial arts skills which includes a striking board of laminated construction including a plurality of layers such as a relatively flexible cushion member for striking with one's hand, which member is supported by a relatively inflexible member which in turn is supported by a relatively inflexible spacing member and a further relatively inflexible member, the latter member being of the constructionn such that the striking board can be held by hand or supported by a bracket support on a wall or other support surface; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,646 issued Oct. 20, 1981 to Dereck Squire for a karate board holding and storage device which includes four upright posts assembled together into a rectangular framework having a pair of L-shaped brackets secured to the frontmost opposed posts when the rearmost opposed posts are supported on a vertical supporting surface, a cross bar, connected to the frontmost post and disposed beneath the frontmost pairs of angular L-shaped members, is utilized to retain a vertically disposed board in supported relationship disposed parallel to the supporting surfaces as required to be held during a gymnastic board breaking exercise; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,029 issued Jan. 5, 1982 to Steven M. Tomko for a martial arts striking device including a base and at least two arc supports of differing heights resiliently attached in a vertical plane to the base, and a striking area supported on the concave side of the arc supports and adjustable spacers between the arc supports to provide variable tension levels to the arc supports and a back brace supporting the convex side of at least one of the arc supports and at a point on the convex side so to provide maximum stable resistance; and in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 237,869 patented Dec. 2, 1975 to Andrew S. Siroke for the ornamental design for an impact measuring unit for karate training.
As known to those skilled in the art, for desired martial arts striking apparatus use, particularly karate kickboard apparatus for the development of the desired speed timing, accuracy and maximum kicking ability and balance, it is desirable that the striking board, e.g. karate kickboard, be not only resiliently mounted but also able to be mounted at different vertical heights and at different angles with respect to the vertical to better simulate activity that will occur, such as in karate kicking, in actual performance. As is further known to those skilled in the martial arts striking apparatus art, none of the above-noted prior art apparatus provides these features and hence do not provide the desired simulation of martial arts activity desired by those in martial arts traininng or undergoing martial arts practice, particularly those practicing karate kicking. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for martial arts striking apparatus providing these wanted features.